


careful creatures

by Pomfry



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Gen, Implied Relationships, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, It's really only at the end, Kinda, Leorio is a badass and a fantastic doctor, M/M, POV Outsider, also a mother hen, he adopts everyone
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-20
Updated: 2018-09-20
Packaged: 2019-07-14 13:58:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,232
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16041878
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pomfry/pseuds/Pomfry
Summary: "Alright," he mumbles, and flips the paper over the keyboard. "My patient is a child. Good to know. Probably isn't like Gon was when I first met him, and definitely not like how Killua was. Have to keep that in mind." After years of dealing with those two, his view of children...skewered. He may have forgotten that most children rely on their parents, that most children have a sense of morality that isn't different than most of the world.Most children, for example, wouldn't break someone's arm when they're angry. Or tear a man's heart out his chest. It's simple logic, then, that he should treat them differently from his friends. Children. Whatever Killua and Gon are to him.





	careful creatures

**Author's Note:**

  * For [InvaildHuman](https://archiveofourown.org/users/InvaildHuman/gifts).



> For my friend Jack, again! They wanted some of the au we talked about MONTHS ago, so here it is! hope you enjoy!

Leorio is a good worker. He knows this. He's a good worker and a good doctor and he's a damn good Hunter. Relatively. He can use Nen and all that, and developed his own technique  _ while _ studying how to be a doctor. He's a damn good worker and he likes to think he's a good doctor.

No. He shakes his head as he checks over a paper. He  _ is _ a good doctor. He shouldn't let those old self-deprecating thoughts ruin him. When he was younger, they nearly destroyed him, nearly made him lose his dream of being a doctor. And, as a doctor now, he knows just how dangerous those thoughts were. Are. They still pop up from time to time.

"Alright," he mumbles, and flips the paper over the keyboard. "My patient is a child. Good to know. Probably isn't like Gon was when I first met him, and  _ definitely _ not like how Killua was. Have to keep that in mind." After years of dealing with those two, his view of children...skewered. He may have forgotten that most children rely on their parents, that most children have a sense of morality that isn't different than most of the world.

Most children, for example, wouldn't break someone's arm when they're angry. Or tear a man's heart out his chest. It's simple logic, then, that he should treat them differently from his friends. Children. Whatever Killua and Gon are to him.

He sighs, runs a hand through his hair, and focuses a little Nen to his neck where a crick is forming. It soothes the ache, makes it a little colder, and he rolls his shoulders, snagging a pen from his front pocket. He clicks it, once, twice, and heads down the hall. Other doctors nod at him, already busy, and he nods back.

Leorio is, if nothing, professional on the job.

He opens the door to the patient's room, and smiles as a little girl, no older than ten, looks up from her lap. Her arm is bruised, her breathing labored, and she's carefully keeping any pressure away from her back. Nobody is with her. Leorio's eyes narrow, his blood rises as his anger sparks, and he puts the dots together. The worst part is, she's clearly scared, eyes darting around the room and him, and Leorio  _ never _ wanted anyone to be afraid of him. Except maybe Ging.

Her dark skin is leathery from the sun that Leorio suspects she was left out in, her lips are dry and cracked. Her curly hair is long, nearly down to her elbows, and Leorio knows just how much of a pain curly hair is. Any sensible person would want it cut shorter. Then again, she is a child.

Her clothes are torn in places consistent with abuse, and from the way she shifts around on the bed, she's well aware of it. She wouldn't have come here unless she absolutely couldn't, and it seems she gave into the pain.

He clicks the pen, smiling kindly when she jerks, looking over at him. He sits down on the chair backward, legs on either side of the chair. He rocks back and forth, the wheels making squeaking sounds, and only stops when she starts to giggle. He grins, scratching his head with his pen, and clicks it again so the nub sticks out.

"I'm Doctor Leorio," he says, tone strong and gentle. She doesn't flinch away from it, which is a good sign. He's usually sent these patients simply because it's known he can take it. Doesn't mean he has to like it. "You can call me Leorio."

"I'm Ana," she says, voice small. "I'm nine."

Nine.

Leorio closes his eyes, breathes in deep through his nose, and opens them again. "Nice to meet you, Ana," he says cheerfully, and she doesn't grip herself. Good. "Why don't you let me see your arm?" he asks, scooting forward in his squeaky chair.

She hesitantly holds out her arm, wincing when he probes it gently. He tsks under his breath, putting a little pressure. He can feel the sharp edge of broken bone beneath her skin. He'll have to reset it.

"It seems your arm is broken," he says, calm, and feels her relax beneath his hand. "I'm going to have to do something about it. How much does it hurt on a scale of one to ten? And don't lie," he warns when he sees her open her mouth. "I need to know so I know how much painkiller to put you on."

She closes her mouth, thinking it over. It takes longer than it should.

"All over?" she asks weakly. He nods. "Fifteen."

Leorio grits his teeth, casting his eyes over her. Her ankle, now that he's looking at it, is swollen. It must have killed her to walk here. He forces a smile, tickling her stomach. She giggles, twisting away, then stops, hissing as her good arm creeps up to her back. Leorio straightens, expression blank. "Is something wrong with your back?"

"...Yes," she says, quiet, and Leorio curses, shoving himself to his feet as he makes his way over. She pulls away, curls in on herself despite the whimper that escapes her. When he lifts her shirt, he sees welts, sees dried blood, and red overtakes his vision for a moment. When he comes back to himself, he sees that he's ripped her shirt. He lets it slip from his fingers, taking a step back and forcing a smile.

"I need to speak with my coworker for a moment," he says, and nearly hurls at the fake tranquility in his voice. But it makes her calm down for a moment as he rushes out the door, and he closes the door behind him softly, leaning against it. His nails dig into his palms as he lowers his head, tears burning his eyes.

His mom always told him he had too big of a heart. Told him that one day it would be a problem, told him to keep it under lock and key. Told him it would only cause him pain in this world. Leorio hadn't listened, gave out little bits of himself until he was a patchwork, and it wasn't until he met Kurapika and Gon and Killua that he began becomes whole again. He has too big of a heart, but he gives it out freely anyway. It’s what makes him such a good doctor.

But it also brings him heartache, brings him hurt.

A nurse comes close. Her dark hair is pulled back into a ponytail, her scrubs clean. She must have just come on shift. “Doctor?”

Leorio takes a breath, steadies himself. There’s a child inside the room behind him, a child with wounds. Leorio is a doctor. He can’t let this shake him. He straightens, brushes himself down. “Yes?"

“Is everything okay?”

Leorio considers it, then nods. “Yes. There’s a patient in there. Please keep her calm and occupied while I call someone.”

She gives him an incline of her head and heads into the room as Leorio steps out of the way, voice changing to match the patient’s age. “Hello! I’m Nurse Paula —“

Leorio pulls out his phone, dialing the first number that shows up. He lifts it up to his ear, waiting patiently as it rings once, twice. He’s about to give up when Kurapika picks up.

“Leorio?” He sounds amused, which Leorio likes. Kurapika doesn’t get amused, not often. It’s a nice look on him. “Why are you calling? Didn’t your shift start about an hour ago?”

“Yeah.” Leorio fiddles with his pen a bit. “Listen, can hunters go after people if they’re breaking the law?”

“..Yes?” Kurapika replies, and Leorio winces, just imagining him narrows his eyes, irises flaring scarlet. “Leorio, what’s going on?”

“Just — a patient.” Leorio sighs. “I’ll tell you about it when I get home. Tell Gon and Killua that they better have their work done by four so they best hurry up if they want that dinner they begged for.”

Kurapika laughs, light and airy. “I’ll pass on the message. Killua is looking forward to that chocolate cake you made yesterday.”

“If I come home and find some of it gone, I know who to blame,” Leorio warns, casting a glance around the hallway and keeping an ear out for the little girl in the rom. “Seriously, I will withhold all my cooking. You’ll have to live on takeout.”

“Oh the woe of being married,” Kurapika replies drily, and scoffs. “You do know that I can cook, right?”

Leorio scoffs, not believing it for a  _ second. _ “I’ve seen your cooking. It’s damn near inedible. I cook because of it.”

“You cook because you’re better at it than I am,” Kurapika corrects. “Oh, Mandy, please don’t —“

Leorio grins. “Hey, you're the one who insisted on getting that damn cat."

"Mandy is a  _ queen,"  _ Kurapika retorts. "I will not have you speaking slander about her."

Leorio barks a laugh. "Kurapika, dear, she's a menace."

"Just because she broke that vase —"

"And that picture frame —"

_ "Doesn't," _ Kurapika interrupts, "mean that you get to deface her."

Leorio grunts. "Yeah, yeah." A moment's pause. "Thank you for distracting me," he murmurs, and Kurapika sighs.

"Leorio," he says gently. "Whatever it is, I can take care of it. I'm a Hunter for a reason."

Leorio shakes his head almost violently. "No," he says, almost harsh. "No, I'll take care of this. Thank you, though."

Kurapika makes a noise. "It's not a problem. I'll see you at home?"

"Yeah," Leorio agrees, and hangs up, slipping the phone back into his pocket as the nurse he sent inside walks out. Her hands are trembling, her face slack. Her eyes though — they shine with fury, with withheld anger, and Leorio places a hand on her arm.

"It's going to be okay," he says softly, and she shakes her head jerkily.

"Who could do that to a child," she whispers, and it's not a question. It's not an inquiry. Leorio knows how it feels, and he knows it doesn't get any easier. It  _ never _ gets easier, seeing the darker side of humanity. Hurting anyone is terrible, to Leorio. Hurting children, though —

That's horrible. It's a stain upon anyone's soul and Leorio wants to make it all  _ stop. _ Wants to make it all stop, this terrible, horrible agony that's hurt so many children, that hurt  _ Killua — _

And that's what makes this personal, isn't it? Killua and Kurapika and Gon. All victims of abuse, one way or another. Neglect, psychological, physical. Every single one of them suffered and Leorio  _ hates _ it. He isn't a person who hates easily. Hate is exhausting, is something that he doesn't want to have. But he has it and it's something that he tries to restrain. He has a temper, he admits that. But hate is different. Hate is something entirely different.

But — but abuse is always something different. Someone refusing to give someone treatment is hate inducing. Someone hurting someone else repeatedly is enough to get Leorio to hate them. 

Abuse is different and Leorio breathes through his rage before turning back to the room.

"Did you give her an ice pack for her ankle?" he asks without looking back.

"Yes."

"Okay." Leorio takes a breath. Then another. "Okay, we need to reset the bone then start on the back. Can you handle that?"

He doesn't see her nod but he knows she does it. No one who does medical training will ever turn away from a job. "Okay." He opens the door. "Here we go."

Anna flinches when the door slams against his frame, and Leorio curses himself, forcing a smile. "Hey. You broke your arm."

She nods, pulling the broken limb in. "Yes, I did."

Leorio sits on the desk, crossing his long legs at the ankles. "We'll have to reset it," he says, and it's frank and blunt. "It's going to hurt unless we put you under painkillers. Can we do that?"

A child always has the ability to think for themselves. Especially when it comes to things like this. Gon and Killua never really needed it. They both have freaky high pain tolerances. Killua through practice and Gon...Gon came by it naturally and then it only grew as people had no mercy upon them both.

Most doctors don't ask the child. Leorio isn't most doctors.

Anna nods. "Yes."

Leorio writes down the amount needed for someone of her size and the injuries and hands it to the nurse. "Give her that."

"Doctor, are you sure," the nurse starts, and Leorio nods without taking his eyes off the little girl in front of them.

"I'm sure," he says calmly. Calm is key here. Any hint of anger will send her scrambling and Leorio knows it. "Go do it. I have a few questions I need to ask Anna, anyway."

The nurse hesitates before leaving the room. Leorio finally tears his gaze off of Anna and uncrosses his ankles. "Who is hurting you?"

Anna startles, looking at him with wide eyes. "I — no one," she stammers, and Leorio narrows his eyes skeptically.

"I'm a Hunter, kid," he says, and shows her his license. "I have the authority to take in the person who did this with little more than a hello. You don't have to tell me, but I would prefer you to do it." He pauses, fiddling with the piece of paper that allows him to avoid certain laws. Annoying laws. "You can come home with me until we find something else for you."

She hesitates, wavering. Leorio waits. He may not have a lot of patience but he worked on it. He can wait. Then —

"It was my brother," she says, and her voice is small and timid. Leorio clenches his fist tight. "Mom and Dad died and he just —"

"He went crazy," Leorio finishes, and she nods miserably. "Okay." He reaches out with one long arm and places a hand on her hair. She startles, glances up at him sharply, and Leorio only scratches her head. "Who is he?"

"Jack," she tells him. "We live in the house by the fountain."

"The blue one?"

"The blue one."

Leorio closes his eyes. "Okay," he says as the nurse walks back in. "I'll deal with your injuries first and move onto him."

She doesn't look like she has much faith in him, but then, Leorio knows what he looks like. He looks like a wimp, to be frank, even if he isn't. And he very much is not. He gives her a smile as he prepares the morphine. "It'll be okay," he says, and he wonders how many times he's said that this week alone. Probably fifty, and it's only Tuesday.

That probably says something about himself. It probably isn't good, that he has to say that so often. It really makes one ask what kind of he hangs out, which — considering how many times he’s had to patch Gon up this month alone — also says something about him. He hangs around people who are too eager to fight, to get into battle without care of how they come out of it.

It probably says something about himself that he adores them.

 

—

 

As soon as he knows Anna is okay, Leorio speedwalks out of the hospital, not even bothering to change out of his scrubs. He has a place to be and a person to bring to justice and he doesn't have time for this. He could, technically, lose his job for this, but he  _ is  _ a Hunter. They'd be remiss to get rid of him, and to be honest, he likes this job so he doesn't really want to lose this job. Killua and Gon are nearby, technically, and Kurapika and him have a nice house.  He doesn't particularly want to lose it.

The square is a place filled with stalls and a fountain that gushes water twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. And, since they're in the tropical part of the world so that means no cold, as much as Leorio misses it sometimes. People mill around him, asking for prices and haggling them. Leorio squints his eyes, puts his hand on his forehead. It's in the middle of the day so the sun is high in the sky and casting a very bright glow, so he can't see much. What he can see is not anything that's important. Leorio is on a mission, dammit, he doesn't have time for this.

"Hey, young man! Do you need some knives? Some new phones!"

Leorio eyes them before deciding they're poor quality. "No, but I do need to find a house. It's blue and by the fountain."

The seller's eyes darken and he shakes his head. "You looking for Jack?"

"Yes, actually." Leorio ignores the way his anger rises sharply at the name. "I have business with him."

More like he needs to kick his ass, but technicalities.

"The house is behind my stall," the man says, and jerks a thumb over his shoulder. "You don't wanna mess with Jack, though. He's insane."

Leorio is strong. He's a Hunter and a doctor and knows exactly where to hit to cause pain. He's not afraid of some untrained punk.

"He won't want to mess with me," he returns, and heads the way the seller pointed. He doesn't pay attention to the bewildered look the stranger sends him and leisurely walks towards the blue house. It was once a good house. Now, though, t's quickly becoming rundown and the plants once so tended to are starting to become overgrown.

Leorio considers it for a moment before kicking the door in. It slams against the wall and a man with bleached hair looks up from the TV set. Leorio gives him a nasty smile before punching him in the face, not even at ten percent strength.

Jack yelps, holding his nose. His eyes are crazed, his breath smells of alcohol, and Leorio is  _ angry. _ Furious, really, and he doesn't hold back. He gets grazed with a knife but it doesn't even draw blood, and then kicks Jack in the stomach, sending him flying into the wall. His head hits the plaster and he doesn't move. Leorio dusts his hands, picks Jack up, and heads back to the hospital. He has a kid to tend to and patients to see. Luckily, he did this on his break.

 

—

 

Nurse Maple is chatting with a guest — a nice man named Kurapika, with two teenage boys loitering behind him — when the doors burst open and Doctor Leorio walks in, a man on his back.

"I've brought the trash," the doctor announces. Kurapika sighs, Nurse Maple gasps, and Leorio dumps the man on the ground.

"Is this what you meant when you asked about Hunters and laws?" Kurapika asks wearily. Doctor Leorio sends him a grin. "I thought so."

"Wow," the boy with black hair goes, poking at the body. "Did you use all your strength?"

"He deserved it," Doctor Leorio retorts, not looking guilty. "Also, Kurapika, we're taking in a kid."

Nurse Maple can't take it anymore. She's always been of poor constitution towards surprises, so it's not surprising that she faints.

"Oh shit," the boy with white hair says as he catches her.

Just who is Doctor Leorio?

Nurse Maple isn’t sure she wants to know.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are always loved and brighten up my day and are saved in my Gmail.
> 
> Here's my [Tumblr.](http://nikescaret.tumblr.com) Come visit and chat with me if you want!
> 
> (My discord is NikeScarlet#8096 if you wish to talk to me there)


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